For years, practitioners have used diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) as an additive to foodstuffs, such as oleomargarine, because of its properties which imparts a butter-like flavor and aroma to foods. However, the substance is quite volatile and quickly evaporates at ambient temperature. Thus, steps must be taken to increase the amount of time it remains in the food. A variety of methods are available for the incorporation of this substance into foods, which impede the loss of the compound thereby extending the "life" of the foods.
One such method is discussed in Netherlands Patent Application 86-01078, filed Apr. 25, 1986, and published Nov. 16, 1987, and corresponding European Patent Application 247646 published Dec. 2, 1987. In this method, a pasteurized milk product is fermented by Streptococcus diacetilactus (and optionally, Streptococcus Lactis and/or Streptococus cremoris) under conditions which result in a high concentration of diacetyl and its precursor, alpha acetolactic acid, in the spent fermentation medium (ferment). The ferment is then dried and added to food products, especially butter substitutes, imparting a buttery flavor and aroma to them. The alpha acetolactic acid, which is much less volatile than diacetyl, will gradually convert to diacetyl, providing a prolonged presence of diacetyl to the product. However, there is no disclosure as to the effect of this ferment on other properties of the food.
A variety of products are also added to foodstuffs to enhance desirable organoleptic textural properties such as mouthfeel. These products which include cultured buttermilk, sour cream, and various starches and gums, each have their own strengths and weaknesses for such use, but in general, relatively large amounts of each are required to obtain the desirable amount of enhancement.
There exists a real need for additives which will produce desirable textural properties such as mouthfeel viscosity, smoothness/creaminess, and softness/more extensive structure (in baked goods) in foodstuffs.